Whoever Brings the Night
by Leonineus
Summary: Naruto has had a secret concerning Hinata that he's kept from everyone since he was a small child. What could it be? NOT A SONGFIC! Rated M for certain elements within, but no smut unfortunately .


Whoever Brings the Night

**(A/N: The first thing I feel I should say about this fic is that it is nothing to do with the Nightwish song of the same name. I do not recognize Dark Passion Play as being by Nightwish, since Nightwish is not Nightwish without Tarja Turunen. Anyway, I digress. I hope you enjoy this oneshot.)**

Warning: OOC, dark!Kiba, attempted sexual assault. Read at your own discretion.

Timeline is after the village is rebuilt, current events in the manga notwithstanding.

Hinata was walking home from team training one evening when she heard footsteps behind her and turned around. She smiled as she saw Kiba hurrying up behind her.

"Ano, hello Kiba-kun."

Kiba grinned at her as Akamaru barked in greeting, "Hey Hinata, want to go out tonight?"

Hinata smiled but shook her head, "No thanks, Kiba-kun. I need to be getting home."

There was dead silence for a full minute before a vicelike grip suddenly clamped onto her arm and made her wince, followed by Kiba's voice saying, "It wasn't a request."

Hinata tried to tug her arm free, "Kiba-kun, you're hurting me." Turning on the spot to try and pull her arm free, Hinata caught a glimpse of Kiba's eyes. They were glittering with an abnormal malice as he stared at her, hungry like a famished wolf. The look sent a chill down Hinata's spine, and she resumed her attempts to make Kiba release her.

-WBtN-

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Naruto was currently enjoying a bowl of ramen less than thirty feet away in the newly rebuilt Ichiraku Ramen Stand, and the lateness of the hour meant that he was perhaps the only other person in the immediate vicinity of where Hinata and Kiba stood apart from the ramen shack staff.

Even so, the boy didn't notice anything strange until Ayame suddenly stopped and said, "Naruto-kun, can you hear that?"

Naruto stopped inhaling his ramen and listened.

-WBtN-

"Kiba-kun, let go please!"

Kiba scowled, "No. I'm sick of you always blowing me off to moon after the Uzumaki loser. He's a clanless nobody, I'm from the Inuzuka! Our kids could be the best tracker-nins in the village!"

-WBtN-

Naruto stood up and crept out of the shack after instructing Ayame and Teuchi to stay there, standing in the shadows of an alley upwind of the two arguing people so that they wouldn't be able to detect him.

"We're team-mates, Kiba-kun. It wouldn't work out between us!"

"_That's Hinata-chan's voice," _thought Naruto, _"But what are they arguing about?"_

Kiba snorted, "You've never even given me a chance; you're so hung up on _Naruto_."

The mocking note in Kiba's voice wasn't lost on Naruto, who moved a little so that he could see better, _"This could turn out badly… but I'm going to need more proof before I move in."_

"You know what?" Kiba said, interrupting Naruto's musings, "I'm sick of waiting for you to get over him, I'm going to get what I want one way or another!"

Hinata's voice was slightly pained as she replied, "Wh-what? Kiba let go! That hurts! Where are you taking me?"

Naruto leaned forwards as Kiba moved, dragging Hinata towards a dark alley. Moving as quietly as he could, Naruto crept along to the mouth of the alley and peered in.

Kiba and Hinata were about halfway down, the latter pinned to the wall as the former started feeling her chest, "K-Kiba-kun stop it!"

Naruto saw Hinata attempt to throw a Jyūken strike at Kiba, but he caught her wrist and twisted it behind her back before grabbing her other wrist and reaching into his pocket, quickly drawing out a roll of ninja wire and pushing her face against the rough brick wall as he started to tie her wrists together.

Naruto watched, his blood starting to boil as Kiba sneered, "You know, I've never understood how a girl with a body like yours," he finished tying her wrists and turned her around roughly, pinning her with her back against the wall again, "can like a loser like Naruto. Well now that's about to change, because first I'm going to get what I want from you, then I'm going to go to my mother and ask her if she can hash out a marriage contract with your father. Then you'll be _my_ bitch for life!"

Hinata tried to pull herself free of Kiba's grip, but Kiba unexpectedly grabbed her hair and shoved her head back before kissing her forcefully.

Naruto knew that was his cue. Stepping into the alleyway, he created a dozen clones, "What the _hell _do you think you're doing, Kiba?"

Kiba turned around, shoving Hinata into a sitting position on the floor, "What the hell are_ you _doing here, Uzumaki?"

Naruto and his clones drew kunai, "We're here because you're trying to rape Hinata-chan."

Kiba drew a kunai of his own, "I'm not letting you get in my way, Uzumaki! Hinata _will_ be mine!"

Naruto bared his teeth as his clones began creating Rasengan, "Bring it on then, Kiba-teme. We'll wipe the floor with your ass."

Kiba snorted, "Let's get him Akamaru! Akamaru?"

The white dog was standing between Kiba and Naruto, looking back and forth between them. Finally he moved towards Hinata, nuzzled against her downturned face for a second before walking past Kiba to the Naruto mob, which split apart to let him pass.

"Akamaru!" said Kiba indignantly, "Aren't you going to help me defend what's rightfully mine?"

Akamaru took one look back at him, sniffed and kicked up a bit of dust at his master before running away.

Kiba snorted, "Fine! I don't need him to beat you and your useless clones, baka. I can just do that and then I can do what _I _want to do! Now _die_! Gatsūga!"

Kiba immediately turned into a whirling tornado as he bore down on the Naruto clones.

-WBtN-

Hinata stayed on the floor and let her head hang as sounds of a scuffle echoed around her.

A split second later the scuffle seemed to stop, and she could hear a muffled voice demanding to be released. Another second passed before a hand entered her line of vision and gently caught hold of her shoulder. She flinched, but then she noticed that the sleeve was black with an orange hem.

Raising her head, she saw Naruto staring down at her, "Are you alright, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata simply blinked. Turning her head, she saw Kiba struggling against eight of Naruto's clones who were holding him face-down on the ground.

She felt Naruto push her forwards slightly as he leaned over to cut the ninja wire on her wrists. As soon as she felt her bonds slip loose, Naruto straightened up and offered her a hand.

Taking it, Hinata allowed Naruto to pull her upright before she flung her arms around him.

Kiba managed to turn his head enough to see Hinata hugging the original Naruto, "LET GO OF HER YOU FREAK!"

Naruto turned around as Kiba managed to throw off his clones and ran at him drawing a kunai into his hand. His first reaction was to move Hinata behind him as he took up a ready stance and prepared for his strike.

Kiba smirked, realizing Naruto wasn't trying to get out of the way and thrust his kunai forwards.

Blood spattered Naruto's face. Looking up, he glared into Kiba's eyes as the latter's shocked gaze lowered to look at his kunai, which was stuck straight through Naruto's hand. His fingers twitched slightly before clamping down on Kiba's fist to stop him letting go of the kunai.

"Wh… what are you?" whispered Kiba.

Naruto smirked, "Sucker. As soon as I get this kunai out it'll heal. That's the best thing about me aside from my incredible stamina, and now I have you immobilized. Night night, Kiba-teme. Hinata-chan, you might want to look away."

Hinata nodded and took three steps back before turning around. Loud sounds of beating echoed from behind her and Kiba gave a final scream.

-WBtN-

"Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah, Hinata-chan?"

"Why _did_ you rescue me from Kiba?"

Naruto looked over at her, "What are you talking about?" Behind them, Naruto's clones were dragging a motionless Kiba by his ankles. Every protruding pavestone caused his head to knock against the ground. The clones had beaten him into unconsciousness.

Hinata poked her fingertips together, "Well… I mean it _was_ lucky you happened to be in the area but _why_ did you step in to help?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, "Well… it stems back to when we were kids. You remember the day we met? I rescued you from those boys but got beaten up myself in the process."

Hinata nodded, "Yes, I do. My bodyguard found us and took me away, telling me to stay away from you."

Naruto nodded, "Well the next week, five Branch Hyūga cornered me in an alley. They seemed to like you, so they made me promise never to let you come to any harm. I know you always enjoyed following me around and watching me, but do you remember when there were times when no matter where you looked, you couldn't find me anywhere?"

At Hinata's nod he smiled, "You didn't think about it very hard did you? Beyond being concerned that I might be in trouble, I mean. You never thought to check behind you. During those times… I was following you, keeping watch over you. Back during the Chūnin Exams, when you were unconscious due to the genjutsu, two Kumo-nin tried to abduct you. We chased them, they took down everybody and it was really only a bunch of my clones who managed to beat them up and rescue you."

Hinata frowned, "That was you? Kiba took the credit!"

Naruto snorted, "Yeah he would've. Well that wasn't the only time. There was also the incident when that Kumo guy tried to kidnap you, about a year after the Branch Hyūga came to me." **(A/N: Yeah, I know I'm butchering the timeline but it's necessary for this to run smoothly.)**

Hinata shivered; that incident still gave her nightmares all these years later, "Y-Yes, I remember that. What was your role in that though?"

Naruto smiled, "You followed me the next day didn't you? You noticed I looked really tired."

Hinata blinked; Naruto knew a lot more about her movements than she thought, "Yes, yes I did. I wondered why, it was as though you hadn't got any sleep the previous night."

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, you were right; I hadn't got any sleep at all. You see, that night I was watching you. I saw that Kumo guy sneak into your room, wrap you in your blankets and sneak off with you. I woke one of the Branch Hyūga who'd come to me; I knew where he slept because I'd report back to them from time to time; and he woke your father. You know how the rest went down."

He turned to look up at the moon, "It's a full moon tonight, just like it was back then. I remember it vividly, seeing your father standing above us with the moon behind him, asking what I thought I was doing with his daughter and heiress. After your father left to chase down your kidnapper, I followed him to make sure you were fine. When the Kumo-nin dropped you, I caught you and put you down a distance from where the fight was taking place. When your father killed the nin, he found me checking on you; you were still asleep. He asked why I was there; I didn't have a choice but to tell him the whole story. How the Branch Hyūga came to me after I protected you the first time. How I'd been following you closely ever since, making sure you were alright."

Hinata blinked, "My father knew about this?"

Naruto nodded, smiling, "Yeah. He took me back to the Hyūga compound and put you to bed, then took me into his study. That was when I explained the entire story to him. Funnily enough, he was all for it. He was pleased that I had protected you all that time. He offered to let me keep watching you, and he even started paying me for it. I know when you were watching me, didn't you ever wonder why I was eating so much ramen at Ichiraku's without seeming to worry for how much money I may or may not have had to pay for it?"

Hinata frowned; it was true. She _had_ wondered about it once or twice.

Naruto smirked, "Well now you have your answer. My orphan's stipend wasn't enough; your father's pay for looking out for you kept me well-fed."

Hinata frowned, "Why did he keep all of this from me?"

Naruto smiled, "Not just you, all of your clan. That was my request, actually. I was worried that you might be targeted by the villagers if they became aware that I was protecting you. Back then, some of your own clan didn't like me. I knew if they knew I was watching out for you, they might tell the people who hated me about it. They could then target you in order to hurt me."

Hinata frowned, "Why?"

Naruto smiled, "You know the Akatsuki is after me, you put yourself in Pein's way to protect me. What you don't know is why…"

"…I know why," Hinata said, "The Kyūbi. Pein kept calling you the Kyūbi jinchūriki."

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, well that's the reason the village didn't like me back then. I didn't know about it then though, I just knew they didn't like me. Thus the reason I was worried for your wellbeing."

Hinata nodded, looking up, "Here's the Inuzuka compound, let's do this. We can talk more about this later on."

-WBtN-

"So what are you doing again?" asked Hinata.

Naruto smirked. His clones had dumped Kiba into a chair inside the Inuzuka main house and put some paper and a pen in front of him. "I intend to make him write out a full confession, which I will then leave for his mother and sister to find in the morning; actually we're lucky they went to bed early. I'm not going to report him to the ANBU or baa-chan, but Kiba-teme _will _pay the price for what he tried to do."

Hinata frowned, "What if they don't believe the confession?"

Naruto smirked, "That's where we come in. We're both going to sign it as witnesses."

Hinata frowned, "But… they might believe he forged the signatures."

Naruto smirked, "Not when they can smell us in the air. I thought you'd have known that the Inuzuka have exceptional senses, smell in particular. It'll make it just that much more believable that it was witnessed by us. Now,"

He grabbed hold of Kiba's head and pulled him upright in his chair, slapping him awake, "Wake up you slime. You've got writing to do!"

Kiba blinked, "What? Where am I?"

"Back home," growled Naruto, "But you've got something to do before you can go to bed. You are going to write down in detail what you tried to do to Hinata."

Kiba snorted, "I refuse! You can't do that to me, not in my own clan compound!"

Naruto was about to answer when the light above them flicked on, "Damn right you won't do that to my son. Now tell me, _what are you doing in my house_?"

Naruto and Hinata turned very slowly on the spot. Tsume Inuzuka stood in the doorway in a long nightdress, Kuromaru standing just behind her with his teeth bared.

Kiba grinned gleefully, "Mum!" and tried to stand up but Naruto shoved him back down.

"Stay right where you are you wannabe rapist!"

Tsume frowned, "Excuse me? Rapist?"

Kuromaru looked up, **"I smell fear on the girl. It would be a reasonable conclusion…"**

Tsume frowned, "Yes Kuromaru, but I'd rather get all possible information before I go to a conclusion. Now you two, _explain_. And Kiba, stay on your ass."

Naruto and Hinata sat down in chairs at the table and began to explain their story. By the time they were finished, Tsume was looking thunderous. She jabbed a finger at Kiba, "_What the hell were you thinking_?"

Kiba folded his arms and refused to say a word. At that moment the door opened and one of the Haimaru brothers slipped through the door and barked at Kuromaru.

Kuromaru looked up at Tsume, **"He says Akamaru just returned to the kennels and wanted to warn you of what Kiba attempted to accomplish. He'd be here himself but he needed to eat and sleep."**

Tsume's expression became even angrier as she glared at her son, "Haimaru, go wake Hana and get her down here. I believe we need to correct our dear family member's attitude."

The large dog nodded and headed out towards what Naruto guessed was the stairs.

They sat in silence for a long time before Hana entered, looking sleepy and wearing a sheer nightgown. Naruto blushed and averted his eyes at the sight.

It only took about five minutes for Tsume to finish explaining the entire story to Hana. Once she was done the younger Inuzuka female was pale with fury. She stalked around the table and slapped her brother across the face, "How… how dare you… you're no brother of mine you little wretch!"

Kiba said nothing; he just looked mutinous.

Tsume leaned across the table, "What do you have to say for yourself, Kiba?"

Kiba scowled, "I knew from the start she was going to be my mate, this tosser's just trying to steal her!"

Hana fisted her brother's jacket, "And it didn't occur to you that she might have her sights set on someone else?"

Kiba snorted, "Please. How can she like _that_," he jabbed a finger at Naruto, "instead of _this_? Her judgement's faulty, she just needs someone to show her a really good time!"

Naruto looked at Tsume, who understood the unspoken question and nodded. A second later Kiba was on the floor with a set of dents from Naruto's knuckles imprinted on his cheek, "You little bastard. Didn't it ever occur to you why every time you hit on her in the Academy and afterwards, there'd always be a hooded someone masking his scent waiting to beat the crap out of you after it? Hiashi Hyūga and before his death Hizashi too asked me to look out for her, hell it's practically been an ongoing S-ranked mission with how much Hiashi paid me to do it following the Hyūga Affair! I'd have done it even if he hadn't paid me though; and part of my job was to make sure she was safe from _everybody_. If you recall the Chūnin Exams four years ago now, it was my clones who rescued Hinata from those Kumo-nins, but I let you take the credit!"

Hana gave a mirthless laugh, "So that's what actually happened. I _thought_ there was something odd about his retelling of that incident, like there was something missing."

Tsume bared her pointed teeth at her son, "Your list of transgressions just keeps getting longer doesn't it, Kiba? Naruto, Hinata, thank you for bringing this to my attention, you can go home now."

Naruto smiled and nodded his head, "No problem, Tsume-sama," surprising Hinata with his formality. It wasn't usual of Naruto.

As the pair left the Inuzuka compound, they heard a single cry of pain which sounded like Kiba, which was swiftly cut off.

-WBtN-

Naruto and Hinata were waved through the gates of the Hyūga Compound by the pair on guard (two Branch members who knew what Naruto had been doing ever since the day he'd first met Hinata) and were tiptoeing through the corridors of the Hyūga main house when Hiashi suddenly stepped around a corner in front of them, "Uzumaki-san."

Naruto instinctively clamped a hand over Hinata's mouth to stifle her scream before realizing who it was and releasing her, "Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi considered the pair in the dark corridor, "Care to explain why you are returning home after midnight, Hinata?"

Naruto spoke up, "I'll explain the whole story to you in your office and you can verify with Hinata in the morning, at the moment she is very tired from tonight's ordeal and needs to rest."

Hinata punctuated this statement with a long yawn. Hiashi glanced at her before nodding and going to wait in his study.

Naruto dropped Hinata off in her room and, not trusting Hiashi to not have his Byakugan on, refrained from doing more than kissing the back of her hand as she slid her bedroom door shut. As he tiptoed off back down the corridor he heard a soft giggle and a thud from behind Hinata's door.

Even if the girl had grown bolder around him since the fight with Pein; there were still certain things he could do that would make her faint, the least of which being a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

-WBtN-

"Well?" said Hiashi as soon as Naruto had closed the study door and moved to kneel in front of him.

Slowly, Naruto began to deliver his report of the night's events. By the time he was finished, Hiashi seemed to be having trouble breathing properly due to outrage, "He attempted to do _what_?"

Naruto held up a hand, "As I said, the miscreant in question has been dealt with. We handed him over to his mother and sister to deal with, and from the noises we could hear emanating from the building on our way out he wasn't enjoying his punishment."

Hiashi nodded, his expression still a little ticked off, "Good."

Naruto cleared his throat, distracting Hiashi from his bloody thoughts, "I was also forced to confess to Hinata everything that has happened since we first met all those years ago. How I looked out for her; how it was really because of me that you were able to catch up with that Kumo-nin a year or so later and so on. We also had a discussion about our real feelings towards each other. As such…"

Hiashi held up a hand, causing Naruto to fall quiet, "I know what you're about to ask Naruto, and I give you my blessing to court my eldest daughter. I can't think of any other man in this village I would rather allow her within fifty metres of her without five Branch Hyūga watching them, especially in light of recent events…"

Naruto didn't reply; he knew the man was referring to Hinata's confession of her love for Naruto before she fought Pein to protect him.

Hiashi looked up at him, "You're an honourable man, Uzumaki-san, despite what some of the villagers who remain stuck in the past might say. You may have recently accessed a full eight tails of the Kyūbi's chakra due to your reaction to seeing my daughter injured, but you managed to suppress it before it was completely released and defeated the man who injured her to boot. Therefore my answer is yes, Uzumaki. You may court my daughter with my blessing; my only condition being that you agree, when you eventually become Hokage, to abolish the Hyūga's Caged Bird Seal and help Hinata, who will I hope have become clan leader by then, unite the families once more. I know she has expressed a desire to do so in the past."

Naruto smiled, "I promise. You have my word, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi nodded, "Very well then, you may leave. Enjoy the rest of your night."

Naruto smiled and walked from the room.

-WBtN-

"Say, Naruto, have you seen Kiba at all today?" asked Ino the next day, after ten out of the Konoha Eleven has gathered in a restaurant.

Naruto scowled as Hinata shivered slightly and shuffled a little closer to the blond on her right. This movement wasn't lost on any of the others, who frowned, "Something wrong?"

Naruto growled under his breath as he slipped an arm around Hinata, "Don't mention that scum's name. He's lower than dirt to me."

Chōji looked around, "Did something happen?"

Naruto opened his mouth but Hinata cut him off, "I'll tell them, Naruto-kun."

Naruto closed his mouth and glanced at the bluenette at his side as she swallowed and began to speak, "Kiba… attempted to force himself on me last night while I was on my way home from team training."

There was dead silence. Then Sakura, Ino and Tenten said in unison, "He did _WHAT_?"

Hinata repeated herself and Sakura slammed a fist into her other hand, "Why that _bastard_!"

Naruto raised a hand, "I happened to be in the area and stopped him. I turned him over to his family for punishment."

Neji looked past Naruto, "Speak of the devil."

Everybody turned to look, and saw Kiba limping through the door, alone. He looked to be in a sorry state. He saw them all looking at him and limped over, "Hey guys, I…" but was cut off.

"Get…away…from this…_table_!" hissed a deadly voice.

Everybody looked around to see Naruto sitting in his chair with his headband shadowing his eyes. It was a much more menacing expression than any that had been seen on his face before now.

Kiba gave a nervous laugh, "Hey, can't we just let bygones be bygones… please?"

Naruto stood up abruptly, grabbed Kiba by the collar and lifted him straight off the floor, "No. We can't let bygones be bygones. The second you laid a finger on Hinata with hostile intentions you became my enemy, and I refuse to allow any enemy of mine to stay in one piece, got that?"

Kiba scowled, "You're not Hinata's keeper! You aren't her bodyguard, so why are you so worked up about this?"

Naruto lifted Kiba a little higher, "That isn't _quite _true. You didn't listen to my explanation last night, did you? You see, I first met Hinata when we were about five. She was being bullied by some boys and I managed to protect her at the cost of getting beaten up myself. I'll explain the full story outside; we're killing the mood in here."

Still holding Kiba by the throat, he turned to the others and said, "Coming?"

They all looked at each other and stood up, filing quietly out of the restaurant.

-WBtN-

As soon as they were outside, Naruto dragged Kiba into an alley and pinned him to the wall. "Remember this place through the pain of whatever your family did to you? This is where you tried to rape Hinata!" He dropped Kiba onto the floor, "Now, I have a story to tell."

He turned to the others, "You see, this is one of my biggest secrets aside from the one concerning the Kyūbi. Soon after I protected Hinata from those bullies the first time, a number of Branch Hyūga came to me…"

-WBtN-

Some time later, Naruto had since finished his story and was now sitting on Kiba's back with his arms held behind him in a full-nelson.

Neji was staring openly at Naruto, "You… so _that_'s the reason why you got so worked up over my injuring Hinata-sama during the Chūnin Exam preliminaries, and the reason why you beat me up for it."

Naruto nodded, "Indeed it was. It was one of the reasons why I pretended to do so badly at the Academy. If I wasn't training in secret or doing other stuff, I was following Hinata around diligently, making sure that nobody could harm a hair on her head."

Ino gave a squeal as her inner fangirl, thought dormant since the day Sasuke had abandoned the village and she had seen Naruto lying in a hospital bed with grievous injuries, cheered at how romantic it was that Naruto had personally taken it upon himself to protect Hinata. "Am I to understand then," she said, producing a notepad and pen from nowhere as she smelt a fresh source of gossip taking shape, "that you have finally realized that Hinata has feelings for you, Naruto?"

Naruto snorted, "I knew from the start. I must confess that I rather liked her as well."

Everybody turned to look at Hinata, who blinked at them, "What?"

Sakura stared stupidly at Naruto, _"Hang on, does this mean he doesn't like me any more?"_

Shino pushed his goggles up slightly and stepped forwards, "Treat her well Uzumaki, unless you wish to be eaten alive by kikaichū."

Naruto frowned, "Come on, Shino! Do you _still_ doubt me after what I just said?"

Shino pressed a finger to the bridge of his goggles, "Just do not hurt her, and I will not be forced to do my part as her team-mate and maim you. That is not even counting what Kurenai-sensei would do to you as she considers Hinata her little sister in all but blood."

Naruto paled at the thought of what Kurenai would do, particularly since he remembered her to be friends with Anko Mitarashi, the most sadistic kunoichi in Konoha. Her being pregnant obviously wouldn't help his case; he knew from Jiraiya's lectures about how to tell if he'd accidentally got a girl pregnant (not that he'd ever intended to if he could help it, and had taken great care to avoid such an event by going off to train whenever Jiraiya was on one of his "research" missions) that pregnancy made girls even more hormonal and thus even more scary.

Chuckling nervously, he crouched down next to Kiba and muttered, "That means that as her bodyguard, I can't let you get close to Hinata. Sorry, _teme_."

Releasing the Inuzuka, he walked over and escorted Hinata away. As they rounded the corner, they all heard Naruto say the words, "Would you do me the honour of going on a date with me?"

Ino's head snapped around so fast everybody winced at the ensuing crack, "Somehow I like where this is going." Notebook in hand and giggling slightly, she hared off out of the alley after Naruto and Hinata. The other two girls followed a moment later.

The rest of the Konoha 11 except for Kiba looked at each other and shrugged, before filing out of the alley in pursuit, leaving the Inuzuka lying on the ground.

-WBtN-

Naruto yawned widely, bored out of his head by what was going on around him.

Ever since his heritage as the son of the Yondaime had been released to the public, Naruto had been forced to participate in the council's meetings to discuss the village, even though he never contributed since he didn't have any idea what they were talking about more often than not. It was only the fact that Hiashi had taken to bringing Hinata and Hanabi (in an attempt to expose them to the village's politics for when they were old enough to take a direct hand in them, Hinata in particular as his heir) that had stopped him losing his mind. It was quite satisfying to spend the time chatting to Hinata or playing with Hanabi. The small girl was quite happy to sit on Naruto's lap and listen to him tell her stories of his various adventures.

"Namikaze," said one civilian council member one afternoon, while Naruto was demonstrating a basic chakra control exercise for Hanabi with a small piece of paper, "I require your attention."

The piece of paper dropping off his forehead, Naruto looked up, "Yes?"

The man leaned forwards, folding his hands over his plump chest, "I am of the opinion that it is time you entered training to use your father's signature jutsu."

Naruto's eyebrow shot upwards, "But I already know the Rasengan… and I've actually completed it as well."

The man's eyelid twitched, but he forced down the urge to insult Naruto knowing that if the boy could fight the leader of Akatsuki and soundly defeat him it wasn't wise to annoy him, "Not that one. The one which gave him the nickname The Yellow Flash."

Naruto frowned, "Alright… but I don't know where he stashed the scroll I can learn it from."

Tsunade raised a hand, "It's in the Hokage's Vault, where we keep everything very special. Only I can access it so if you come with me Naruto, we can collect what you need."

Naruto nodded, put Hanabi back on the floor and stood up, but before he followed her he walked up to Hinata and smiled before kissing the back of her hand, "Would you do me the honour of another date tonight, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata blushed as all eyes fell on her but nodded, and Naruto left.

Hiashi chuckled and remarked to his daughter, "You two seem to be getting along. How soon can I expect grandchildren?"

Hinata's response was to blush, giggle and finally get a nosebleed before passing out on the floor. "Nee-chan?" said Hanabi, poking her sister cautiously with one shoe.

-WBtN-

**Six months later.**

Naruto collapsed onto his back on Training Ground #7. It had taken him weeks, but he had finally managed to master the Hiraishin no Jutsu.

"Naruto-kun?" said a voice.

Naruto raised his head and saw Hinata walking towards him with a bag in her hand, "Hey… Hinata-chan…"

Hinata smiled, "Have you done it?"

Naruto nodded, managing to push himself into a seated position as Hinata began withdrawing small cartons from the bag.

Naruto smiled weakly at her, "Thanks, Hinata-chan. Kami, I'm exhausted."

Hinata popped the lid of one of the containers and handed it to him with chopsticks.

Naruto took both with a grateful smile and started eating, "This is delicious, Hinata!"

Hinata smiled, "Thank you, Naruto-kun. I made it myself."

Naruto smiled widely and leaned over to kiss Hinata on the cheek.

"Naruto-kun," she said patiently, "Remember it is Ino-san's birthday this evening."

Naruto's eyes widened, "That's right! I need to go back to my house and get her present!"

He quickly finished his food, helped Hinata pack up the cartons and then caught her round the waist, disappearing in a yellow flash.

-WBtN-

They reappeared inside Naruto's new house that he had been given as a reward for defeating Pein, and Naruto let Hinata down while he ran off to fetch what he needed.

Opening a cupboard in his new bedroom, Naruto pulled out a small black box and swiped some blood along the seal keeping it shut. Inside lay two small boxes, one larger than the other.

Smiling slightly, he opened the smaller box and examined its contents before pocketing it and picking up the second box.

After opening it to check its contents, he deftly wrapped and pocketed it.

Walking back downstairs, he found Hinata sitting at the kitchen table facing away from him. Walking up behind her he leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Shall we go then, hime?"

Hinata nodded and stood up. Naruto put an arm around her waist, picked up the Hiraishin kunai which lay on the table and hurled it through the open window, disappearing a split second later.

-WBtN-

It transpired that Tsunade had given permission for Ino's birthday bash to take place at the top of the Hokage Tower, so everybody (Ino, Tsunade, Shizune and the rest of the Konoha 11 with their families and jōnin-sensei) were gathered there around the big tables that had been brought up when a kunai suddenly flew out of the darkness onto the roof.

A number of the assembled adults immediately reached for weapons to defend against a perceived attack, but then Naruto flashed into existence with Hinata clinging on tightly to him. "Hey guys!"

Tsunade blinked, "You mastered it?"

Naruto nodded, smirking, "Yep. You're looking at the latest master of the Flying Thunder God Technique!"

He released Hinata and headed over to Tsunade to continue their discussion, while the indigo-haired girl headed over to Ino and gave her birthday present to her. Almost immediately afterwards, Hinata was intercepted by Sakura who wanted to have a quick word with her.

As soon as Naruto had finished his conversation with Tsunade, he headed over to Ino and said, "Happy birthday, Ino-chan. Give me a second- get out of there you little…"

He tugged on the present in his pocket, finally managing to work it loose. As he withdrew it however, the other small box fell from his pocket and opened when it hit the ground. Ino's eyes went wide, "A ring! Does that mean you're going to- mmph!"

Naruto had clamped his hand over her mouth and looked anxiously over towards Hinata, but she was still engrossed in her conversation with Sakura and didn't see the motion. Naruto released Ino and bent down to pick up the box, snapping it shut and putting it back into his pocket. "Don't say anything; I want it to be a surprise. Here's your present."

Ino nodded as she took the wrapped box, "Do you want me to distract Sakura now?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, I'd like to enjoy the party a little first before I say anything to her. Go on, open it!"

Ino ripped off the wrappings and opened the box. Her eyes went wide, "Oh Naruto, it's beautiful! Where did you get this?" She took the bracelet out of the box and slipped it onto her wrist. It gleamed there, platinum inlaid with amethysts alternating with pale sapphires.

Naruto smirked, "Gaara. Suna recently discovered a large mine outside their walls which is practically filled with precious metals and gems. He sent me the first piece of jewellery made out of it. It doesn't really fit Hinata so I thought I'd give it to you."

Ino smiled, "I think you've got the perfect gift for her right there in your pocket. Thank you for the bracelet." She leaned up and kissed Naruto on the cheek, "I'll distract Sakura in a little while, alright?"

Naruto nodded and they went their separate ways.

-WBtN-

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto moved over to Sakura and Hinata and said, "Hinata, could I have a private word over by the railing?"

Hinata nodded, bade Sakura goodbye and walked with him over to the railing looking out over the Hokage Monument.

Naruto looked up and smiled, "It's a beautiful night, Hinata."

She nodded, "That it is."

Naruto turned to look at her, "We've been friends for a while now, haven't we? About seven or eight years, since we started at the Academy. Heck, before that in fact."

Hinata frowned, "Where are you going with this, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto smiled, "I have a question for you. A simple question, which just requires a yes or no answer."

He dropped to one knee and reached into his pocket for the small box as everything went silent around the top of the tower.

Opening the box, he held it up to present the ring within to Hinata, "Hinata Hitomi Hyūga… will you marry me?"

Hinata's eyes filled with tears, "Y-Yes! Yes, of course, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto smiled, taking the ring from the box and slipping it onto her finger. It glittered there, intertwined strands of gold and silver inlaid with a large lavender moonstone. It had taken Naruto's Kage Bunshin a lot of blood, sweat and tears over the last three months to locate this particular ring while the original had been training with the Hiraishin.

They had finally located it in a small jeweller's shop in Tsuchi no Kuni and brought it back to Konoha in secret. There had been a slight hitch when the group of clones had been attacked by some plant freak with half a white face and half a black face in an Akatsuki robe, but they had been able to escape though a few of their number got caught with vines and dispelled.

Now he knelt in front of Hinata and slid the ring onto her finger before straightening up and hugging her tightly. Soft applause drew their attention, and they turned around to see everybody looking their way and smiling.

"Somehow," said Ino cheerfully, "I feel I should be mad about you stealing the spotlight on my birthday, but I feel I don't really care. I hope you two are very happy together."

Naruto grinned as he tightened his embrace on Hinata, "Thanks."

-WBtN-

**One year later.**

Naruto smiled cheerfully as he stood up from his bench and took up a position beside Tsunade. The buxom blonde grinned down at him and ruffled his hair, "So, the day's finally here, brat."

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. The day I've been working towards for a very long time."

Tsunade opened her mouth to respond but at that moment there was a loud murmur from the surrounding benches and Naruto turned towards the flowery arch (provided by the Yamanaka Flower Shop) that marked the end of the aisle. What he saw there took his breath away.

Hinata was dressed in a long gown of silk, the train of which was being held up by Hanabi and Moegi, who had been selected as her bridesmaids for the event. Her father held her arm as he walked her up the aisle, resplendent in his formal kimono.

Soft footsteps behind Naruto told Naruto that Gaara, who he had elected to be his best man, was approaching, but he payed his friend no mind as he gazed upon the vision of perfection now making its way towards him.

Hinata and Hiashi finally reached the spot where Naruto stood, and Hiashi gave Naruto Hinata's hand as he stepped back and moved to sit beside Tsume Inuzuka.

Tsunade smiled as Hinata stepped closer to Naruto, her face radiant and eyes shining with barely-controlled happiness, "Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, do you take Hinata Hiitomi Hyūga to be your wife and partner in all things? Will you cherish and love her for as long as you both may live?"

Naruto nodded happily, "I do and I will."

Tsunade turned to Hinata, "Hinata Hitomi Hyūga, do you take Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze to be your husband and partner in all things? Will you love and support him for as long as you both may live?"

Hinata nodded, "I do and I will."

Tsunade's smile widened, "Very well. I am happy to declare you, in my authority as the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride… and whatever else you want to do."

Naruto and Hinata both went pink as the audience broke into cheers, applause and laughter. The duo shared a kiss before Hinata turned and said, "Naruto-kun and I would like to thank the trio of Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka and Tenten Takeshi for helping to bring this day into reality."

The three girls sitting in the front row blushed as the applause turned to them.

Naruto grinned, but before he could activate the Hiraishin to carry the two of them away, Tsunade spoke again, "Wait a sec, kiddo." When Naruto and Hinata turned to face her she raised her voice, "I would like to make another announcement! I, Tsunade Senju, the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, would like to announce my surrender of my seat as Hokage." She took off her hat and held it out to Naruto, "I would also like to say that I hereby appoint Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze as my successor. May he always protect Konoha as the Rokudaime Hokage!"

Naruto took the hat and put it on his head before grinning and tilting it over his eyes. In a flash of brilliant topaz light, he and Hinata disappeared.

-WBtN-

**Eight years later.**

Naruto stood in front of the new Academy students with Hinata at his side, a small smile on his face as he surveyed their attentive faces, "You are assembled here today because you all chose to take up the village's defence in your own hands by becoming shinobi and kunoichi."

His eyes roved over the crowd before settling on two small children at the front. These were the twins, Minato Hiashi and Hitomi Kushina. Minato was the image of his father with Byakugan, while Hitomi looked almost exactly like her mother with the additions of whisker marks.

They beamed as they caught their father's eye before he spoke again, "We shinobi and kunoichi of Konoha are famous for our Will of Fire, which gives us the ability to keep fighting beyond all odds, building our willpower and strength of character. A true Leaf shinobi must believe, love, cherish and fight for their village through all things. The previous generations of shinobi and kunoichi have passed on their Will of Fire to you, and I hope you will all do it proud and be able to pass it on to the next generation in time." He bowed to the students, "Good luck."

The students began to move away, shepherded into their classrooms by their new teachers. Naruto watched Minato and Hitomi go with a smile on his face, before turning to Hinata and kissing her.

-WBtN-

It had been seven years since Madara and the remnants of the Akatsuki had fallen by Naruto's hand, along with Sasuke. The two Uchiha had attempted to assassinate a heavily-pregnant Hinata in an attempt to demoralize Naruto, which didn't work very well.

Naruto caught them both just as they were about to kill her and dragged them along to the Valley of the End, where he proceeded to destroy the entire valley in the resultant battle. Kisame had joined in, but had quickly discovered that, chakra-absorbing sword or not, there wasn't much you could do against an opponent with a full nine-tailed chakra cloak, Sage Mode _and _the Hiraishin all in one. He died with a Fūton: Rasengan rammed through his head.

Sasuke had been brought down when he made a comment in passing about personally turning Hinata into his whore after the Jūbi was under their control, after killing Naruto's children when they were born. About fifteen seconds later he discovered that having a Fūton: Rasenshuriken shoved where the sun doesn't shine is an excruciatingly unpleasant experience.

Madara had taken the longest to kill, but finally Naruto had triumphed over him and killed him with a Rasengan.

-WBtN-

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto smiled as he caught his wife around the waist, "Yes, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata gazed up at him, "You do remember that we still need to fill out paperwork?"

Naruto grinned, "We have Kage Bunshin doing that."

Hinata tapped her chin, "That meeting with the Tsuchikage to hash out the new treaty?"

Naruto chuckled, "That was last week."

Hinata laughed, "I know, I was just testing you. In that case, want to go _home_?" The last word was said in a tone that left no confusion what she meant. He grinned, "That sounds perfect. Let's go."

He wrapped an arm around his gorgeous wife's waist and the pair disappeared in a flash of light.

**(A/N: Utterly crappy ending, but I couldn't really thin of a way to end it. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this oneshot and here's the update on my fics. Team ROOT is at 3,199 words, Reign of Ice is at 3,326 words, and The Rinnegan Maelstrom's rewrite of Chapter 3 is at 3,871 words. The next chapters of When Jutsu Go Wrong and The Bijuu Sage have yet to begin. Also, Blade in the Shadows is on indefinite hold until I can finish the *censored* Mist Civil War Arc. Hopefully that might be sometime soon, but I wouldn't recommend holding your breath on that. So until next time folks, this is Leonineus saying GOODNIGHT!)**


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